<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>To dare the universe by Lilibet</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26929111">To dare the universe</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilibet/pseuds/Lilibet'>Lilibet</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>October 2020 prompts [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Qui-Gon Jinn Lives</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:28:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,060</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26929111</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilibet/pseuds/Lilibet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They will make it out of this war alive. Together.</p><p>His stubbornness is legendary, and he dares the universe to try and take them away from each other.</p><p>It will fail.</p><p>Qui-Gon will make sure of it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Qui-Gon Jinn/Obi-Wan Kenobi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>October 2020 prompts [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949062</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>To dare the universe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For the whumptober 2020 day 10 prompt "internal bleeding'.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>No one else would notice it.</p><p>No one else would pick up on the way he takes a second too long to answer a question, how his eyes aren’t fully focused on the schematic in front of him, how he’s subtly cradling and protecting his right side.</p><p>No one would notice it because Obi-Wan has become so terrifyingly adept at hiding his own weakness it makes Qui-Gon constantly on edge, eyes automatically cataloguing everything about him. Not that he wasn’t doing that before, but instead of a leisurely admiration of the man, and Jedi, Obi-Wan has become, it’s a scrutinising stare driven by fear.</p><p>Qui-Gon’s learnt to read him like the back of his hand, and if there’s one thing he won’t stand by for, it’s Obi-Wan being reckless with his own health.</p><p>Qui-Gon waits until the briefing is over, watches from the shadows of the sidelines as Obi-Wan waits until Cody and the other clones have left the command tent. When he think he’s finally alone he hangs his head between his shoulders and braces himself on the table. Qui-Gon hears him take a slow rattling breath, another, and then he flinches, gingerly placing his hand on his side.</p><p>“Healer’s, now.”</p><p>Obi-Wan jumps and whirls around, eyes wide, before immediately criying out as the sudden movement jars the injury he’s trying to hide. He keels over, gasping for breath as he grasps the edge of the table so hard his fingers turn white.</p><p>Qui-Gon quickens his pace until he’s at Obi-Wan’s side, hands flitting about and hovering over Obi-Wan’s shoulders. He doesn’t know where’s safe to touch, is so terrified of putting him in any more pain, or if he’s hiding any other injuries that Qui-Gon doesn’t know about.</p><p>“I’m fine,” Obi-Wan gasps, pulling in short, shallow breaths.</p><p>“Like hell you are,” Qui-Gon growls, “You can barely stand upright. I’m taking you to the healers.”</p><p>Obi-Wan manages to look at him then, eyes full of a fire that Qui-Gon’s surprised he can muster right now.</p><p>“I can’t, Qui-Gon. There’s too much that still needs to be done to prepare, and there are others that – “</p><p>“Don’t even finish that sentence, Obi-Wan. You are just as important as any of the men out there, and you’re hardly going to be able to protect them when you’re dead on your feet.”</p><p>Obi-Wan cuts off the protest about to leave him and clamps his mouth shut, which tells Qui-Gon he’s hit the nail on the head.</p><p>“Come, to the healers. For me, Obi-Wan, if not for yourself.”</p><p>The fire of defiance in Obi-Wan’s eyes extinguishes at those words, at the pleading tone of Qui-Gon’s voice, and he exhales as heavily as his injuries allow, nodding and letting Qui-Gon guide him to the healer’s tent.</p><p>--</p><p>The extent of his injuries becomes clear when he removes his armour and undersuit. The healer peels it off him and Qui-Gon gapes in horror at the blue and black mottled skin covering nearly the whole of Obi-Wan’s right side. It spiderwebs out at the edges and Qui-Gon feels an irrational wave of rage surge up inside him at whatever injured his beloved Obi-Wan so severely, at how much pain Obi-Wan is willing to endure to keep his men safe and hale in this clusterfuck of a war.</p><p>Obi-Wan must feel it resonate in the force and down their bond, because he murmurs Qui-Gon’s name, and the exhausted dullness of his once vibrant green eyes as he looks at him immediately extinguishes the fire licking through Qui-Gon’s veins.</p><p>The healer begins to poke and prod at the sensitive area. Obi-Wan hisses through gritted teeth, gripping the edge of the patient bed so hard Qui-Gon’s surprised he doesn’t hear it creak. He swiftly moves to Obi-Wan’s side, resolutely ignoring the disapproving glance of the healer, and peels Obi-Wan’s hand off the bed to hold it in his.</p><p>Obi-Wan smiles gratefully at him and clenches his hand as another bout of pain scrapes through him.</p><p>After a few minutes, the healer steps back and gives Obi-Wan a disapproving look with her hands on her hips.</p><p>“Internal bleeding, at least three broken ribs and two cracked, fractured clavicle, not to mention...”</p><p>Qui-Gon tunes out the rest of the healer’s words when Obi-Wan leans his weight into his side. He gazes down at the man he loves, his eyes closed, dark lashes resting against the too pale skin of his cheeks. He looks exhausted and Qui-Gon, not for the first time, wishes that he could whisk Obi-Wan away from this war. Wishes that he could take both of them away to some lush green planet with forests as far as the eye can see, the calming flow of a river winding through a valley, and build a life for themselves away from this never-ending maelstrom of chaos and death.</p><p>It’s a fantasy he knows will never happen, they’re both too devoted to their duty to do anything of the like, but it’s one he indulges himself in when he’s feeling particularly despondent.</p><p>He watches as the healer busies herself treating Obi-Wan’s injuries, who remains steadfastly plastered to Qui-Gon’s side with his eyes closed, holding his hand like a lifeline and only moving when he absolutely has to.</p><p>When she’s finished, Obi-Wan is ordered to bed rest, and Qui-Gon gently guides his exhausted lover to their shared tent.</p><p>They lay down together, skin to skin and legs tangled together under the threadbare covers. Qui-Gon places his palm gently on Obi-Wan’s injured side and sends soft waves of force healing to help lull him to sleep.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Obi-Wan murmurs, voice heavy with a fast approaching slumber.</p><p>Qui-Gon nuzzles into the back of his neck, placing a soft kiss on the skin he finds there.</p><p>“I know,” Qui-Gon answers quietly, “just please don’t hide it from me,”</p><p>It comes out sounding more like a question than a request, and Obi-Wan nods, making a sleepy sound of affirmation before Qui-Gon feels him drop off to sleep.</p><p>He spends the next few hours just watching Obi-Wan dream, bathing in his warmth and the feel of soft skin under his hands.</p><p>They will make it out of this war alive. Together.</p><p>His stubbornness is legendary, and he dares the universe to try and take them away from each other.</p><p>It will fail.</p><p>Qui-Gon will make sure of it.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>